1. Stop checking your phone or email as soon as you wake in the morning. You are allowing others to set your mood and activity levels for the day. Be disciplined about how you wake up, organise your time, and fit work into your
2. Work at times that suitthe work you are doing, and the most suitable time for your body. Are you better at certain tasks early in the morning, or perhaps later in the day? If you can arrange your day to take advantage of this, your body will have more energy and can complete tasks quicker.
3. Reduce the amount of time available to complete your task, or break up big tasks into smaller batches.
4. Avoid distractions: When focusing on a specific piece of work, avoid distractions: do not look at email, and keep your phone on mute. Work on one project at a time to provide focus. It can be easier to avoid all distractions early in the morning or later in the evening, after office hours.
5. Plan your daythe night before: A productive day requires planning. When we write down what we want to do and when we intend to do it, we are more likely to achieve our goals. The ideal time to complete a ‘next day’ plan is at the end of your workday, so that whatever needs to be tackled tomorrow is still fresh in your mind. Review in the morning before starting work.
6. Incorporate a small ‘quick-task’ list: When you are writing down all you plan to work on, take a separate note of things that require only a few minutes to complete – for example, follow-up emails or phone calls.
7. Work in different places: Link different tasks with different places. Think about the specific task you need to complete. This can add structure to your day. Think about the main categories of work that you do, and start to create rituals around them. The rituals might involve your physical location or the time of day you complete a certain task. For example, you may prefer compiling a to-do list while sitting outside, or maybe you prefer making your calls in the quiet of your office. Practice these for a couple of weeks to get into a flow. Your brain will adapt and work faster.
8. Avoid having a diary that is over-booked: It’s easy to assume that the most productive people are booked solid for 100% of their day. However, if every minute of your day is scheduled, this can cause stress and affect mental health. You need free time to process thoughts. When you have no free time on your calendar, you leave little room for yourself or for creative moments. You also need time for unscheduled events that may have to be dealt with quickly.
9. Take regular breaks: Scheduling regular breaks will make you more productive. Be proactive about taking breaks – even short ones – and make them structured and deliberate. Breaks can help improve creativity and increase accuracy.
10. Stay organised: Productivity isn’t about how many hours you work, or how many ‘to-do’ items you’re able to cross off your list. It’s about doing what you need in order to work in an efficient and time-effective manner. And that starts with being organised about your day.

Improving productivity is an ongoing process. Don’t leave it to chance. Use these tips to get started. Explore them one by one to avoid being overwhelmed.

Justin Purcell is the Law Society’s practice support executive (j.purcell@lawsociety.ie). Further resources are available in the Business Hub.